“Somehow I am necessary for His purposes, as necessary in my place as an Archangel in his.” ~ John Henry Newman
Today is the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Had it not been Sunday, we would be celebrating the Feast of the Archangels: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. So that they would not be forgotten, I thought I would use their feast as the basis for today’s reflection.
As I began my reflection, I stumbled upon the quote by Blessed John Henry Newman. It gives us a reason to think about our role in God’s creation along with the angels’ roles.
Yes. God has a role for each and every part of His creation. Whether they be mortal beings or spiritual beings, God has a plan and design and each piece of that plan is just as important as any other. When any piece of that plan does not live up to its potential, trouble looms.
Consider those mighty angels who were cast out of heaven because of their turning away from God. One of those took his name from “light” but, instead, turned to the dark. That caused an uproar in heaven and still causes problems in God’s creation as he tempts others to turn away from God.
There are also the myriad of angels who have ministered to God’s people throughout the millennia. Some of them, who have been entrusted with a special word from God, have been known as archangels. They bring God’s message to His people, inviting some to a deep relationship with God.
At the same time, every person has been invited to a deep relationship with God. Every person has been called to live in faithfulness and trust. Every person has been called to be a witness to God’s fidelity. In that regard, our witness is just as important as any angel’s. If we refuse to live as God has asked, our part of God’s creation will not be presented to others.
The archangels, the angels, the cherubim and the seraphim all give witness to the immense glory of God. They are reflections of His splendor. They have been given to us not only as messengers (the archangels) and also as protectors (the guardian angels). God’s love is awesome.
God made the angels to be majestic; yet, He made us even better than the angels, endowing us with our immortal souls. Do we see our relationship with God as something special and awesome?
For that matter, do we have a relationship with God? How do we maintain that relationship? This might be a day to think about the time that we spend with the Lord and for the Lord. Perhaps we need to consider making more time in our schedules to spend with Him.
FAITH ACTION: Praise God for the gift of His angels and thank God for the gift of His Son for us all.